Carton for phonograph record-cylinders.



N. G. DURAND @L A. M. SHELBY. CARTON POR PHONOGBAPHYBEGORD GYLINDERS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I2, 1907.

Patented 311119.28, 1910.

ANDREW a. GRAHAM cu.. FHOTDALHHOGRAPHERS, v/AsmNGTuN U c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NELSON C. DURAND, OF EAST ORANGE, AND ABNER M. SEELEY, OE NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS T0 NEW JERSEY PATENT COMPANY, OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CARTON FOR PHONOGRAPH RECORD-CYLINDERS.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, NELSON C. DURAND, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, and ABNER M. Simmer, a. citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cartons for Phonograph Record-Cylinders, of which the following is a description.

-Our invention relates to boxes or cartons for containing phonograph blanks and record cylinders.

A box or carton made according to our invention-is designed particularly for containing tlie unusually long blanks or records used on the business phonograph, but it is evident that it may be used for containing the ordinary phonogra-ins used on other types of phonographs or talking machines. The cartons which formerly have been employed for this purpose have been made with a flanged bottom, the flange of which fitted over the sides of the box, thus making a projection which was always in the way, particularly when it was desired to remove the carton containing the record cylinder from the frame or crate in which such cartons are usually placed for handling. Formerly too, the record cylinder could be placed in the carton with either end down, according as it happened to be introduced, and as the record cylinder has a tapered bore, and can be placed upon the corresponding tapered mandrel of the phonograph only when the end thereof having the larger bore leads (this end being termed hereafter for convenience, the inner end, and the opposite end having the smaller bore, being termed the outer end) it was impossible to tell on taking the record cylinder out of the carton, whether one had hold of the inner or outer end thereof, without inspection, and frequently it was necessary to turn the cylinder end for end in the hand before it' could be placed upon the phonograph mandrel. In such cases also a careless user would often attempt to force the blank onto the mandrel with the outer end foremost which generally resulted in breaking or cracking the blank and in prying or wedging the core out of its place.

Among the objects of our invention is the Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 12, 1997.

Patented June 28, 1910.

serial No. 383,437.

production of a carton in which the objectionable flange or ring above referred to is done away with; the provision of novel means for protecting the delicate surface of the blank or record cylinder, and the provision of a carton with a central up-standing core of substantially the same form as the larger portion of a phonograph mandrel, so that the cylinder can be placed fully within the carton only when its inner end is down, and if the cylinder is introduced therein with its outer end down, it will be prevented by the core from being received for its full length within the carton.

Attention is directed to the drawing forming a partof this specification, wherein the same characters of reference are uniformly used to designate the same parts, and in whichy Figure l is a central cross-sectional view of one form of carton constructed in accordance with our invention and having a cylinder therein properly placed in position with the inner end down; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l but with the record cylinder turned end for end, the outer end thereof being down, and the cylinder being supported by the core; the cover of the box or carton not being shown in this figure, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the box or carton with the cover removed.

Our improved carton is usually and preferably made from pasteboard, and its parts glued or cemented together, although, of course, it may be made from other material and other securing means may be used. It comprises a cylindrical shell l, which forms its side walls, a bottom 2, provided with a recessed or cup-shaped portion 3, in order to strengthen it, and to support the record cylinder well above the surface on which the box or carton rests. The bottom 2 is also provided with a flanged portion 4 which fits within the lower end of the cylindrical outer w'all l, and is suitably secured thereto. The downwardly extending circular edge 5 formed between the cup-shaped portion 3 and the flange 4, forms a support for the carton which sustains it upon any surface steadily and without danger of over-turning. An opening 6 may be provided in the bottom if desired. A central up-standing tapered core 7 is secured to the bottom 2. This core may be corrugated as shown at 8, in order to strengthen it, but these corrugations may, of course, be dispensed with. A ring 9 of felt or similar material, surrounds the core 7 at the bottom thereof, and is secured to both the bottom of the carton and to the core, thus greatly strengthening the union between these parts. On the inside of the side-walls l is placed a lining l0 of fleece or felt, or similar soft, smooth material, which protects the delicate exterior' walls of the record cylinder. The record cylinder ll has a tapered bore designed to fit over the similarly tapered mandrel of the phonograph. The core 7 is made of substantially the same form as the larger portion of the phonograph mandrel.

l/Vhen the record cylinder is introduced into the box or carton with its inner end down, as shown in F ig. l, it rests in place, fitting snugly over the core 7, its lower end resting upon the ring 9 of felt or similar material, and its outer surface resting in contact with the soft lining 10. After the record cylinder is thus placed within the carton, a lid l2 is placed thereon to close the same, and to exclude dust. If it be attempted to introduce the record cylinder within the carton with the outer end down, as shown in Fig. 2, the cylinder will be stopped and supported by the core 7, since the contracted bore at the outer end of the record is too small to pass over the core, and it will be necessary to remove the cylinder and turn its inner end down before it can be placed fully within the carton. This core does not extend to the top of the box but it is made so short thatits diameter at the upper end thereof shall be greater than the diameter of the bore in the outer end of the record cylinder. then a record cylinder is introduced into the carton with the outer end down this end rests on top of the core 7, as shown in Fig. 2, and there is therefore no tendency to crack the record or to pry the core out of place. Vhen the record cylinder is removed from the phonograph it is most convenient to handle it by its outer end, and the inner end will, therefore, most naturally be first introduced Within the carton. Vhen it is desired to remove the cylindrical record from the carton and to place it on the phonograph mandrel, this may be conveniently done by inserting three or four lingers within the contracted bore of the cylinder as it is contained within the carton, and then spreading the fingers slightly, when the record cylinder may be easily picked up and lifted out of the carton.

Having now described our invention, we claim as newl. In a carton for phonograph record cylinders, the combination of an outer shell with an inner flange fitting therein and formed integral with an upwardly cupped bottom and a downwardly extending circular edge formed between said bottom and inner flange and constituting a bearing surface for the carton, and a lining of soft material for the outer shell above the said flange, substantially as set forth.

2. In a carton for phonograph record cylinders, t-he combination of an outer cylindrical shell, an upwardly cupped bottom provided with a cupped portion and having an upstanding flange fitting within said shell and a downwardly extending circular edge formed between said bottom and flange, a tapered, central, upstanding core on said bottom and, a ring of soft material surrounding the said core at the bottom thereof and secured to the said core and to the bottom of the carton, substantially as set forth.

3. In a carton for phonograph record cylinders, the combination of an outer cylindrical shell, a bottom provided with an upwardly cupped portion and with a flanged portion which fits within the shell, a core on said bottom of substantially the same form as the larger portion of a phonograph mandrel, and provided with longitudinally extending eorrugations, a ring of felt surrounding the lower end of said core and secured thereto and to the bottom of the carton, and a lining of softmaterial for the outer shell, substantially as set forth.

This specilication signed and witnessed this 11th day of July, 1907.

NELSON C. DURAND. ABNER M. SEELEY.

lVit-iiesses H. H. DYKE, CHARLES F. RoBsoN. 

